


bleed through my skin

by chailattemusings



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: BDSM, F/F, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-19 08:53:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8198921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chailattemusings/pseuds/chailattemusings
Summary: Zahra spends an evening showing Vex the value of extra tiefling appendages.





	

When they'd first met Zahra, Vex hadn't expected to like her. Zahra carried herself with the same proud air that Vex did, either knowing she was better than the people around her or pretending damn well that she _should_ be. Two strong, confident women thrust together on a mission without so much as a day to get to know each other properly didn't bode well, and Vex spent the first day of their trip trying to pick and poke and figure out just why Zahra walked like she owned the world. It was selfish, stupid, and Vex didn't care. Between herself and Pike and Keyleth, being the woman who no one scoffed twice at was _her_ job.

But Zahra had revealed that she wasn't as perfect as she projected. An abusive father and a life isolated from everyone for years sounded all too familiar, and guilty pangs struck through Vex's heart as Zahra spoke of her past with an odd sort of detachment. Vex knew the tone; letting yourself hold the past too close just helped the pain fester.

And after Zahra had killed the dragon with her glowing staff, shining like the moon itself? Vex would be stupid _not_ to have a crush on her.

She ignored it, at first. She stayed with Vox Machina and Zahra stayed with the Slayer's Take, and they didn't see each other often. When they did it was all smiles and warm hugs and sometimes Zahra had a magically crafted gift that made Vex's heart flutter, but she told herself _no_ because she'd seen what happened when someone tried to romance a person while out adventuring. Her brother's affections had turned rotten and spoiled, and Gilmore still didn't smile with quite the same light after the rejection.

The flutters in her heart did calm, but were replaced with something softer, warmer. When Vex saw Zahra after the conclave's attack she was filled with a rush of relief and desire, wishing desperately that Zahra could stay with them, stay where Vex could keep her safe. The need in Whitestone was greater, though. Vex's chest was heavy when they left again and she had to fight to keep walking forward, away from the warmth of bright red skin and moon white eyes.

Vex didn't stop using her charm. It got her oh so many nice things, and she could wield it as well as any sword. Vax rolled his eyes and Percy laughed and Keyleth watched intently to try and imitate it. As the days wore on, though, and they spent more and more days away from Whitestone, more days running desperately towards the next vestige, the charm didn't come as easily. Whenever she winked at someone she felt herself wishing she could cast that look on someone who wasn't there, and every flirty touch wasn't nearly as warm as Vex wanted. She went to sleep wishing there was another body next to hers, and moonlight eyes invaded her dreams.

She almost couldn't take it anymore. The day she almost said _Zahra_ when Percy asked what she was most looking forward to when they returned to Whitestone, she decided that that was exactly what she was going to get. Keyleth found a tree for them to use and they passed through the familiar tunnel of magic, tingling over Vex's body as she walked through and came out of the Sun Tree on the other side. She shook her head and glanced around at the city, her chest swelling with sudden need and the knowledge that Zahra wasn't so far from her anymore.

It was hard to pretend to be calm about it. She crossed her arms and waited for the rest of the party to finish coming through the tree, the magic tunnel sealing itself behind them. Vax propped up Keyleth and gave her an embarrassing cheek kiss to thank her for her spell. Vex rolled her eyes at the gesture; at least she wasn't that disgusting with Percy whenever they shared their beds. 

“Right,” Percy said, adjusting his glasses. “Let's make our way back to the castle, shall we?”

The walk was longer than Vex wanted and she started getting twitchy halfway through. Every time she glimpsed something bright and red she turned to it, her heart sinking a little more when each time it wasn't what she wanted.

Vax raised an eyebrow at her the fourth time it happened. “The fuck's wrong with you, stubby?”

“Nothing!” Vex said immediately, and regretted how fast she'd denied it. She shrugged, trying to come off nonchalant. “I think I just need a nice long nap in a real bed.”

“The mansion _has_ real beds,” Scanlan said, sniffing in an offended tone from behind her.

Vex tossed a glance over her shoulder. “Yes, your magical mansion is very nice, but I can't adjust anything. Every time I try to fix the mattress' stiffness it just magically goes back to how it was the next time you conjure it.”

Scanlan pursed his lips in mock offense and then waggled his eyebrows. “You could have asked me to fix your bed for you.”

Vex didn't have to pretend to be affronted that time. “Yes, because _that's_ a good idea,” she said sarcastically, earning a few laughs from Keyleth and Percy.

They eventually reached the castle and Vex had to hold herself back from rushing inside. Percy chatted far too long with the guards at the door, asking about signs of dragons and how Gilmore's shield was holding up. Then it was much too long to walk from the front door to the main section of the castle and meet with Cassandra. Vex could feel her skin itching.

“Is Zahra still researching?” Percy asked, as Cassandra walked with them to the dining room to get proper food that didn't have any chicken in it; Percy had asked Cassandra to ban that meat from any dishes served to Vox Machina.

“Yes!” Vex chimed in before she could stop herself. “Where _is_ Zahra?”

Cassandra raised a brow with mild interest and said, “She's probably in the library again. She's been working day and night to try scour our library for anything that can help us.” Cassandra frowned and sighed. “It might be easier if the Briarwoods hadn't thrown out any and all books with information that might reveal their vampiric nature. Luckily I don't think we had that many but there were definitely volumes about dangerous creatures that could have also held information about dragons.”

“There's no telling that it would have provided anything our resident dragon expert doesn't already know,” Percy said with a shrug and a gesture to Vex, who nodded absently. The library. She could check there as soon as they'd had a proper meal.

Distracted as she was, the food didn't taste like much of anything. Vex ate quickly and excused herself before anyone else was done, shoving her chair back and muttering something about wanting to stretch her legs a little; nevermind that all they'd been doing lately was run around in every waking daylight hour that they had.

The Castle Whitestone library was bigger than any Vex had ever seen. She knew the libraries her father had, and the one where she and Vax had studied nearly every day for the time they'd been with their father. But when five books was considered impressive to have because they took so long to write down by hand, most libraries that were considered _big_ only had a dozen or so volumes.

The de Rolo library, on the other hand, was built from centuries of work. It held several dozen books from all over the world, places where people had been and seen and learned and written down everything they knew, so that someone else could share in the experience. According to Percy it was constantly collecting new volumes, or had been before the Briarwoods had come to power. 

Vex's mind didn't have much room to be shocked or impressed by the library itself. She was busy looking for a certain tiefling the moment she passed through the doorway, glancing around until she spotted red skin and silver hair, sitting in one of the chairs in a corner with a heavy book in her lap.

“Zahra!” Vex said, rushing to her, and stopped when Zahra looked up.

Zahra looked _awful_. Her lips were pursed in a frown that twisted her entire face, tail lashing angrily beside her. Her eyes, though it was difficult to tell with their pale color, were bloodshot, and she had wrinkles around the edges that spoke of too many long nights.

Her expression shifted the moment she registered Vex, blinking a few times and breaking out into a bright smile. “Vex, darling,” she said, with her usual heavy tones. There was something else in her voice, though, that said she was much more tired than she was letting on when she spoke.

Vex shook off the surprise at seeing Zahra in such a state, and held her arms open. Zahra stood, putting her book down on the seat of the chair, and pulled Vex into a hug. She tucked her face next to Vex's, her arms tight around her waist. Vex thought she might have felt Zahra's tail slip around her leg, but it was gone a second later.

Breaking away, Zahra held Vex at arm's length and looked her over. “How are you, dear?” she asked with a sigh. “Still chasing down dragons?”

“Of course.” Vex put one of her hands over Zahra's and squeezed. “I look forward to a couple of days in Whitestone before we head out again. It's been so hectic lately and I could use a good rest in one place.”

Zahra hummed, dropping her hands from Vex and glancing at the chair. What Vex hadn't noticed before was the pile of books on the floor next to it, stacked haphazardly and ready to topple. “I understand that,” Zahra said airily, bending down to pick up the book she'd been reading. She flipped through a couple pages absently and waved it a little for emphasis as she looked at Vex. “I think I've spent all morning on this one. That black ball of anti magic death in the basement doesn't seem to have a lot of information about it just lying around.”

Vex frowned. “Percy told me that whatever the Briarwoods might've known probably died with them. It wouldn't have been very smart to keep endless records on that thing lying around.”

“If only more evil doers were better notekeepers,” Zahra said, tisking. Vex laughed and Zahra smiled at the reaction, but her eyes were tight and her hands wobbled a little as they set the book on top of the pile she'd collected.

“Do you need to sleep?” Vex asked, looking at the books and back to Zahra. “I know it's early in the day yet but, and pardon me if this insults you, you look downright exhausted.”

Zahra barked a laugh and shook her head. “Oh, believe me, I know,” she said. “I've been keeping rather limited sleep schedules lately. I think the last full night's rest I had was a couple of weeks ago.”

Vex's eyebrows lifted in shock. “Zahra, that's not _healthy_.” She put a hand on Zahra's forearm, squeezing gently. “You're going to run yourself into the ground!”

Zahra shrugged. “Sleep has been difficult, either way. Knowing the dragons could be just around the corner doesn't make for a restful environment.”

Vex frowned. That was _true_ , and she'd had many a night where sleep seemed near impossible and she laid in bed staring at the ceiling, wishing she could escape the terrors of her waking life. But it didn't mean that avoiding sleep was okay.

“You should at least try to sleep tonight,” Vex said, patting Zahra's arm a couple of times. “If you die of exhaustion we'll lose our progress on all that research you've done.”

Zahra laughed quietly. “Unlike the Briarwoods, dear, I've been keeping extensive notes.” She gestured to a small side table on the other side of the chair, where a small stack of papers rested underneath an ink pen.

“Still,” Vex insisted.

Zahra nodded and gave her another small smile. “I will, I will. It's not quite time to sleep, though, and I _was_ just in the middle of looking for something important . . .” Zahra glanced at the books, her tail flicking impatiently behind her.

“Oh, of course.” Vex started to step away, her heart falling a little. “I didn't mean to interrupt–”

She stopped when Zahra grabbed her hand, holding tight to root her to the spot. “Stay with me,” Zahra offered. “You look exhausted, too. Take a few minutes to relax in here where it's quiet.”

Vex could feel her skin getting hotter, radiating out from where Zahra held her hand, and tried in vain to push the feeling away. “All right,” she managed through the stiffness in her throat. She was supposed to be good at this, damn it, but the soft gaze of Zahra's silver eyes sent uncomfortable warmth through Vex's belly, and words failed to properly form.

Zahra released her hand and settled back on the chair, pulling her book back into her lap. Vex found another seat and pushed it closer to Zahra, curling up. With Zahra in front of her and no monsters to chase down at that very second, Vex finally relaxed, sinking into the chair with a small sigh. Zahra didn't look up but her lips curled with a smirk at the noise.

For a while Vex let her thoughts spin and stir, trying to figure out what their next plans might be and whether the vestiges would offer the rewards they promised. They hadn't started relying on them in battle yet; their old weapons were tried and true, and if they kept the vestiges visible then someone else was more likely to take them. The showiest was Vax with his flying armor, and even that he didn't use very often.

She wondered if there was a vestige that fit Zahra. Vex blinked and shook her head to clear the thought away. Even if there was, Zahra wasn't part of Vox Machina. They fought well together because they'd been doing it for years, learning each other's methods and techniques and working around them. Throwing a new person into the mix right at the crux of a battle against ancient dragons was probably a bad idea.

Nevermind that they'd beaten a dragon– that Zahra had killed it herself. That dragon had been fairly young by comparison, no matter how much the memory of Zahra impaling the beast with her spell made Vex's heart thump harder in her chest.

She tried to move her thoughts elsewhere, to things like what Trinket might need for the upcoming battles or whether she could fine tune Fenthras beyond its already magnificent power. As she tried, though, her thoughts usually circled back to Zahra. She stared and pondered and ached to go up to her and touch her again, to feel that warm, red skin. It was rough, a naturally tough tiefling hide that protected from extensive fire damage, but it was supple and pleasing under Vex's palms. She could only imagine how soft Zahra would be in other places . . .

“Darling, are you all right?”

Vex squeaked as she broke from her trance. “P-Pardon?”

Zahra had looked up, her brow knit with concern. “Your face is a bit red, there. Do you need to go to bed early? We can't have you getting sick.”

“Oh, I'm fine!” Vex waved a hand dismissively, feeling her cheek with her other hand. She was a tad warm, and if she let her thoughts keep drifting she would probably get worse. “I think I will leave, though.” She got up, trying not to look at Zahra for too long and give anything else away. “Are you, ah, are you going to be in the library for much longer?”

“Don't worry,” Zahra cooed, settling one hand over the still open book. “I'll finish this and stop for the day. I feel more tired than usual; I think my body knows I'm planning to actually rest later.”

Vex laughed softly. “You'd better give it what it wants, then.”

“My body wants a lot of things, dear, and higher on the list than sleep is a nice meal.” She tilted her head slightly. “Would you want to join me for dinner before I go to bed?”

Vex glanced up at the windows in the library, which had gotten dark since she'd first arrived. They'd come in the late afternoon and by now it would be evening. She wasn't terribly hungry after their late lunch.

“I ate a bit earlier, but I'd be happy to sit and have coffee while you eat,” she offered instead. She didn't quite notice until the words were out of her mouth that she'd layered some of her charm into her tone without thinking about it.

Zahra beamed. “Sounds like a deal, then. I'll come find you when I finish.”

Vex waved her fingers at Zahra and left her to her work. The castle was quieter in the evenings, with the hustle and bustle of the day dying down to a few people. Some of them passed Vex in the hallway and bowed appropriately; the word of the new baroness had spread quickly once Vex had returned to Whitestone and Percy's memory of the event had been _properly_ restored. Vex still got a giddy thrill when she thought of it. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a note to thank Percy for the gift.

She wandered for a little while and eventually made her way back to the room that was designated for her. Vex took off her boots and outer armor, laying back on her bed to just breathe.

Zahra was as gorgeous as she'd remembered, and charming even through her exhaustion. Vex ached with the desire to drag her into bed and give Zahra a while to forget research and dragons and just exist with each other. It was downright embarrassing, really, how much she wanted it. And it wasn't just sexual frustration or she could have taken it out with Percy and been _done_ with it. Vex opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling, and sighed.

She lay there for a long time, and startled at the sound of a knock against wood. Vex sat up to see Zahra leaning on her doorframe, tail flicking behind her. “Shall we have coffee, dear?” she asked with a smile.

Vex shot off her bed, and winced at herself, hoping Zahra wouldn't notice her eagerness. She just stood waiting in the doorway, and Vex forced herself to walk slower to get her boots back on and leave her room. “Lead the way,” she said as she shut the door.

Zahra held her elbow out. “I'd rather walk together.”

Vex could almost feel herself turn pink and hoped the dim lighting of the hallway was enough to hide it, taking Zahra's elbow gently in her hand and following her as they started to walk.

“Did you find what you were looking for in the book?” Vex asked.

“Oh, pfft.” Zahra rolled her eyes. “Of course not, I never do. The best I've had is bits and scraps of information that _could_ be related but could also easily not be, and the tenuous threads I've used to keep them all together might snap with so little as one detail I haven't found yet.” She smiled tightly. “So, you know, it's going as well as most research does.”

“You sound like Percy when he hasn't got a project fully figured out.”

“He's probably a bit better at it. My studies revolve around magic related to the moon, it's stumping me a bit to look for things outside that scope.”

Vex bumped Zahra's hip playfully. “You're doing fine. Percy says that Cassandra isn't one to keep someone on a job if they're not good enough at it. She must think you're doing well enough.”

Zahra hummed thoughtfully. “That might be true normally, but she can't afford to be picky with dragons on the loose.”

They'd arrived at the dining hall finally, where a few people were eating. Proper dinners, according to Percy, hadn't been in place since the Chroma Conclave. People came and went as their busy schedules allowed and the kitchen always had some food around in case someone wanted to eat and run. Mealtimes went longer than usual, to give everyone a large window to get food before returning to their duties.

Vex almost dropped Zahra's elbow at the sight of other people, but Zahra put her free hand over Vex's before she could move, and kept walking them inside to sit down. There was a small arrangement of food spread out, mostly soups and meats with a sprinkling of fruits and vegetables. The few people eating at the table were too engrossed in their own conversations and no one looked up as Zahra pulled a chair for Vex and pushed some of the platters closer to them for easier reach.

“Oh, you wanted coffee,” Zahra said, glancing farther down the table. There wasn't any visible, and before Vex could get up to ask someone, Zahra was already off, approaching one of the guards standing at the far end and talking quietly. After a minute he turned and left, and Zahra walked back to sit down next to Vex.

“He's going to fetch someone who's not busy to make some for us,” she said.

“You didn't have to,” Vex said. “I could have had juice or something.”

“Vex,” Zahra said, with mock shock, putting a hand on her chest. “You're a _baroness_. You ought to have anything you like within Whitestone.”

The reminder of that, coming from Zahra's mouth, made warmth bloom in Vex's heart. She grinned and nodded, saying, “Well, when you put it that way.” Zahra smiled back, and then snatched a clean plate and dragged the closest platter of meat over to slap a piece onto it.

When a servant came back with coffee, Vex handed them a silver and thanked them, pouring herself a generous cup. It tasted smooth going down, and she hummed at the first hot sip of it, her eyes slipping closed. When she opened them again, Zahra was eyeing her with a raised eyebrow. “It's, uh, very good,” Vex said, shrugging and holding the cup a little closer.

“Is it?” Zahra put her food down and grabbed a cup for herself, adding a splash of milk from a little pitcher next to the coffee. She took a large sip and licked her lips, beaming. “It is! I'll have to tell Cassandra they've done a good job with it. Whoever makes the coffee should be getting a raise, especially when we're all stretched so thin with our energy.”

Vex tilted her head. “Do you talk to Cassandra often?” Her own experience with Percy's sister had been limited. He handled most of the discussions with her about supplies and protections against the dragons, and she was so busy that sitting down for a chat never seemed like a good idea. Running an entire city took a lot of someone's social life away, it seemed.

Zahra shrugged in answer. “Sometimes,” she said. “Cassandra worries about me, along with Gilmore and Kashaw. She's trying to do right by her people without sacrificing the well beings of individuals. I suspect her time with the Briarwoods gave her a healthy respect for people's boundaries.”

Vex winced. “I imagine that it could, yes.”

“So she asks if I'm doing well and checks up on my research, but we don't sit down and _talk_.” Zahra took another sip of coffee and snatched a bread slice from a basket as someone else passed it down the table. She bit harshly into it, her fangs visible as she tore off a piece. Vex tensed, watching it, and tried very hard not to think about what else those teeth could bite.

Clearing her throat, she said, “I'm glad she's taking her job seriously. Whitestone needs a good ruler.”

“I hadn't seen what it was like with those vampires, but I assume anything is better than bloodsucking creatures who have no qualms about murder and build an evil, magic destroying temple in the castle basement.”

Vex laughed. “It was one vampire, actually. Delilah was a necromancer.”

“Oh, _just_ a necromancer,” Zahra said, rolling her eyes.

“We've met good ones! Gern Blanston was a decent fellow, albeit a little . . . odd.”

Zahra snickered and drank more of her coffee. “I'll be the judge of that whenever I might happen to meet him, darling.”

They talked for a while longer, trading stories back and forth. Zahra claimed she didn't have much to say, being cooped up in the castle, but Vex prodded her with questions about the goings on in Whitestone and how other people around the castle were doing. Zahra returned the favor with questions about Vox Machina's adventures, and Vex picked through her memories for the most interesting tidbits. Zahra seemed to enjoy anything she said, sighing wistfully a few times.

“You know,” she said eventually, when they'd been talking for some time, and the people at the table had changed as people came in and others left for their duties, “I never planned to save the world.”

“And we did?” Vex asked with a snort.

“No, of course not. I just meant– if Kashaw and I hadn't happened to need a Slayer's Take trial _right_ as you lot came into town, we wouldn't have met, and I'd probably still be in Vasselheim and wondering what to do about these dragons stomping around, hoping desperately that someone was trying to take care of them.”

“If we hadn't happened to be in Vasselheim right as you were trying to join the Slayer's Take, we wouldn't have a researcher helping us in Whitestone and someone else capable of training any and all troops for unexpected battle,” Vex countered, and paused. “Well, maybe we would, but I probably wouldn't enjoy their company as much as I enjoy yours and Kashaw's.”

Zahra smiled and her tail flicked behind her. “You spoil me with compliments, Vex'ahlia.” The way she practically purred Vex's name sent heat straight through Vex's core, and she had to fight to resist ducking her head like a shy young girl. She was a baroness, damn it.

She breathed and tried to pull herself together.

“Are you going to rest after this?” she asked, to change the subject and hopefully compose herself.

“I suppose?” Zahra said with a shrug. “Although I don't really care to go back to my bed.”

That was more invitation than Vex would ever get, and she leaped at it. “What about _my_ bed?” She put a hand on the table, palm up, toward Zahra. “Would that appeal more?”

Zahra blinked a few times, and laughed shakily. “Darling, are you propositioning me?”

“Yes,” Vex said without hesitation.

They spent a long moment looking at each other. Slowly, Zahra took Vex's hand. Her long fingers slipped easily over Vex's, her skin warm with a hint of the hellfire that had birthed all tieflings. It was a comforting warmth, something Vex wanted to curl up next to and never leave. She smiled softly and squeezed Zahra's hand, standing up. “Shall we?”

Zahra followed eagerly, keeping hold of Vex's hand as they walked out of the dining hall. Her tail brushed against Vex's legs, her long silver hair swaying with each step. “That took a long time,” she said, smirking at her.

Another blush crept up the back of Vex's neck. “You could have initiated it.”

“I'm not used to being wanted, dear. And you flirt with everyone, how was I supposed to know I was special?”

“You've _always_ been special.”

They were at Vex's room sooner than she expected, and they stopped outside the door. No one else was around; it was early for bed yet, although Vex guessed that most of Vox Machina would be asleep, to rest after their journey. Trinket had been taken by an animal handler to be fed and groomed, so she didn't need to worry about him. It was just her and Zahra, holding hands, waiting.

Zahra pursed her lips. “How long were you waiting to bring me here?”

“Long enough to seduce Percival in the interim,” Vex said with a laugh, and stopped. “We're– He's– do you mind? If this isn't . . .”

“Exclusive?” Zahra asked with a raised brow, and smiled when Vex nodded. “I wouldn't expect someone as lovely as you to be tied down with one person.” Her hand tightened around Vex's. “But I'd appreciate being the one you spend time with in the short times you spend here.”

Vex looked at their joined hands, and up at Zahra, and kissed her.

It was hot, almost burning, the warmth of Zahra's skin even hotter over her soft lips. When she kissed Percy, it was dry and rough, his lips chapped and his stubble ever present. Zahra was plush, their lips pressing gently and sending tingles down Vex's spine. She broke their handhold to wrap her hands around Zahra's neck. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach, Zahra was so much taller, taller than Percy even, and warm, warm, warm–

Zahra broke them apart, breathing hard. “Goodness,” she said. “You sure know how to make a girl feel good. But let's take this inside, shall we?” Zahra rested her hands on Vex's hips and walked backwards into the door, her tail flicking the latch so she could push it open. Vex giggled as she was pulled in and the door slammed shut behind them.

Accommodations in Whitestone weren't what one would normally expect from a castle, but was normal given they'd been ruled for years by a necromancer and her undead husband. No one had kept it during their rule and all the furniture was worn, wood scratched and sometimes creaking. It would do, though. Vex bit her lip and glanced between Zahra and the bed.

“So,” Zahra drawled, “what would you like to do?”

“More of this,” Vex said, reaching up and kissing her again. Gods, it was warm, she could wrap herself up in it forever. Her hands went to Zahra's waist and held tight, nails pressing in through her clothes. Zahra hummed, slipping her tongue over Vex's lips, and Vex parted her mouth easily to let her in. Zahra's tongue swept inside her mouth, tasting. Vex met it with her own and groaned, stepping forward to push closer to Zahra.

Zahra pulled back sharply, their lips smacking wetly when they broke apart. “Hang on,” she said, kicking her shoes off and yanking her cape off her shoulders. Vex shook her head and blinked. Her head was already going fuzzy, filled with thoughts of shoving Zahra down and grinding on her until she got off.

Zahra grabbed her again, pulling her close. “There,” she purred. Something heavy wrapped around Vex's leg– her _tail–_ and held tight as Zahra kissed her again. She was near scalding hot and the pain seared across Vex's skin, shivering down into her bones. She pushed into it, hands scrabbling to wrap around Zahra. The tail on her leg tightened and Vex squeaked when it slapped her ass sharply. Zahra hummed into their kiss, fingers digging into Vex's sides, and her tail smacked her again.

Heat curled in Vex's groin. Holy shit Zahra was _spanking_ her with her _tail_. It hit her again and she groaned, spreading her legs and shoving against Zahra.

The tail dropped suddenly and Zahra shoved Vex hard to one side. Vex yelped as she crashed onto the bed, bouncing on the mattress. She glanced up to see Zahra grinning down at her. “Oh, darling,” she said. “I've waited far too long for this.”

Vex's breath hitched, shoulders tensing as Zahra walked up to the edge of the bed. She knelt down and snatched one Vex's boots, swiftly undoing each of the buckles and pulling it off. She repeated it with the other, and slipped her hand under the edges of Vex's pants. It shouldn't have been so sexy but damn it was, watching Zahra rub her hand down her leg, feeling that warmth seep into her skin. Zahra turned and kissed Vex's ankle, teeth grazing over it. Vex's toes curled and she sighed, head falling back.

Zahra's tail touched Vex's other leg, scratching over the skin. It had a thinner fan tip on the end that fluttered over her, sweeping its silky touch across her.

Vex turned to to watch Zahra kiss her ankle and up her leg, alternating bites and licks between kisses as she pushed the cloth up. Her tail wrapped slowly around Vex's other leg and tightened as Zahra finally knelt on the bed and crawled over her. Vex leaned back, lying flat with Zahra hovering over her, one leg held down, her breath low and filled with Zahra's hot scent.

“You look so beautiful,” Zahra murmured, and followed it with a grin. “I'm going to enjoy wrecking you.”

She dove in for another kiss, silencing any reaction Vex could have had. Vex was more than happy to let her, arms coming up to wrap around Zahra's neck. Zahra lowered herself until she was pressing down on Vex, her tail still acting like a coil, and Vex couldn't have moved even if she wanted to. The pressure covered her entire torso, a satisfying kind of weight that had her humming happily into the kiss. She moved her hands down the back of Zahra's neck and dug in, dragging her nails over the warm skin.

Zahra growled, breaking the kiss and darting to Vex's neck to bite her. Vex gasped and tilted her head, sighing. Zahra licked over the bite and dragged her teeth down, fangs threatening to pierce but never going deep enough.

“I know you're used to being in charge, dear,” she said, hot and wet against Vex's neck, “but that's _not_ how this is going to go. Understood?”

Vex didn't trust her voice, only nodded. Zahra purred, pleased, and licked over her neck again. “Good girl.” She moved down, kissing and nipping to Vex's collarbone and stopped when she reached the edge of her shirt. “Let's get rid of all this.”

Vex felt _empty_ when Zahra sat up and moved off her, the lovely pressure and warmth all gone. She grumbled, and squeaked when Zahra smacked her thigh with her hand. “No complaining,” Zahra said, with all the force and dominance that Vex normally used on Percy. Being on the other side of it sent Vex's heart skipping, the thrill of it boiling down to a point that seared inside her and filled her with the aching desire to do anything Zahra said.

Zahra pointed meaningfully to Vex's clothes and then started stripping her own off. Vex's brain tripped as she stared at Zahra's now shirtless torso, her breasts falling heavily as she pulled the fabric up and away. Zahra glanced at her and tisked, gesturing to her clothes again. “We don't have all day, as much as I wish we did so I could really spend time destroying you from the inside out. Get undressed, Vex, and I'll show you what I can _really_ do.”

That kind of promise was hard to ignore.

Traveling with a group of people for years had desensitized Vex to being naked around people, but she still squirmed a little when her clothes were gone and Zahra's gaze fell to her. She resisted the urge to cover herself between her legs and watched, waiting. Her breath hitched when Zahra smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, pushing around Vex to lay on the bed and pull Vex over her lap. “You're gorgeous, did you know?” she purred, putting a hand on the back of Vex's head and kissing her deeply.

Vex moaned and opened to her, legs spreading on either side of Zahra's thighs. Zahra's tail slapped her back and Vex hummed her approval, enjoying the sting against her skin. “Please,” she whispered between kisses, her hands dancing over Zahra's side and moving over her breasts to pet the soft skin.

“Please what, now?” Zahra kissed her cheek and laughed, her tail lightly playing across Vex's back. “You're going to have to be more articulate.”

“I _want_ you,” Vex whined, diving down to kiss Zahra's neck and bite lightly at the skin.

Zahra's hand wrapped tight in Vex's hair and pulled her back. “Vex,” she said, so harsh that Vex almost thought she was truly angry, but she was smiling, “I'm the only one around here who gets to do that. If I feel your teeth again I'm going to have to punish you.”

Vex could feel herself getting wetter just at the mention. “Is that so?” she said through the breathless pain of Zahra holding her hair. “I'd like to see you try."

Zahra's eyes lit up like starlight and she growled. She dropped Vex's hair and both arms wrapped around her middle, holding her down against Zahra's chest. Vex gave enough of a struggle to look like she might actually break free, stilling when Zahra's grip tightened. She was a warlock, not trained in brute strength, but she was bigger than Vex. One of her legs wrapped around Vex's to hold her down better, and she said, right against Vex's ear, “You've been bad, Vex, disrespecting me. How about I teach you a lesson?”

Vex just breathed hard, a small noise somewhere between fear and excitement escaping her.

She quickly found out that Zahra's playful smacks had been _nothing_ , that it was the equivalent of thwapping her lightly with one of her palms. When Zahra's tail hit Vex square on the ass with some _real_ energy, Vex yelled and jerked in Zahra's hold. It hit hard but the pain of impact wasn't nearly as bad as the sting after it was gone. Blood rushed to the wound and Vex's nerves lit on fire, tingling with sharp pain that made her squirm.

“Ten of those for not listening to me,” Zahra said, soothing one hand down Vex's back. “Hold still, pretty girl.”

The next hit hurt worse, striking a different spot just a little higher, bringing fresh pain to a new area. Vex tensed and buried her face against Zahra's chest. She could feel her slick dripping on Zahra's thigh, the warmth of Zahra's skin pressed up against her sex. Her blood thrummed as she was whipped again, and halfway through screaming she realized how many people might be able to hear if they happened to be passing through the hallway.

One of Zahra's hands curled over Vex's face, cradling her. “Don't hold back,” she said, tracing a thumb over Vex's lips. She pushed in and Vex sucked on it, moaning as it pressed down on her tongue. Zahra smacked her again and she cried around it, the sound barely muffled. Zahra took her fingers away and moved to pet Vex's hair. “Seven more.”

Zahra hit a new spot on the next couple strikes, covering every part of Vex's ass and some of her upper thighs. It wasn't truly bad until Zahra hit a spot that was already red and throbbing.

The pain bloomed like a fresh flame, searing across her skin. Vex yelled and grasped at Zahra, panting hard, pushing away from the pain. Zahra kept a tight hold on her and all Vex managed was rubbing herself on Zahra, the warmth of Zahra's skin not enough to distract from the fiery pain on her backside. Vex whimpered and buried her face into Zahra's neck. Her toes curled as the seconds dragged on and she waited for the next blow.

There were three more after that, each on a spot that had already been hit. Vex endured, half tempted to try and get herself off where she was pressed to Zahra's thigh, but suspected such behavior without Zahra's approval would be met with even more whipping. The very last stroke, Zahra hit that first spot again, and Vex was sure she must have been bleeding but felt no liquid on her skin, just more of the fiery pain.

Zahra forced Vex to sit up on her knees, ass throbbing with pain. One of Zahra's hands trailed down her side and ghosted across her ass. Vex twitched, back bowed, her eyes watering at the way it stung. The pain twinged over the surrounding skin, the whole area sore, blood throbbing just under the surface. She wondered if she'd be able to sit down at all tomorrow.

“Did you learn your lesson?” Zahra purred, one hand catching Vex's chin, forcing her to meet Zahra's eyes.

Vex breathed out hard. She was still dripping wet, her fluids smeared on her thighs, and she couldn't ignore the satisfied tingle that followed each throb of pain on her ass. “Yes,” she answered quietly. “I'll be good for you, Zahra.”

“Excellent!” Zahra pulled her in for another kiss. Her lips had dried and Vex licked over them eagerly, moaning against her. Zahra's hands drifted to her hips and pulled Vex back, sitting her up on her knees. She raised a brow at Zahra, who snickered and said, “I've got a little something special in mind for you.”

Vex's ass twitched instinctively, and Zahra's tail _did_ move, but not how she expected. It raised up and petted over Vex's thighs, wrapping idly around one and then the other, drifting between until the smooth skin brushed up against Vex's folds. Vex jolted, kept still by Zahra's grip. She turned wide, curious eyes down at Zahra.

“I'm going to fuck you,” Zahra said, like she was describing the weather. “And since I don't have a dildo handy, this will do just as well.” The tapered end of her tail flicked across Vex to emphasize her point. Vex would have laughed if it didn't feel so good, and she bit her lip instead. Her knees hugged Zahra's hips, hands braced against Zahra's forearms where she was still holding Vex in place. Zahra's eyes flicked over her. “Ready, darling?”

“Yes,” Vex breathed, feeling herself clench just at the thought.

Zahra's tail kept teasing over her, pushing her folds aside, rubbing across her and spreading her fluid. Vex tried to lower herself and Zahra dug her sharp nails in, growling. She raised her legs up to brace against Vex's ass, muttering, “I can give you support if you need it, dear, but you have to _ask_.”

It was like a fire on her skin where Zahra's legs pressed. The welts burned with pain and Vex screeched, sitting up straighter on her knees. Zahra laughed and put her own legs back down. “That's what I thought. Now don't move.”

Vex held as still as she could while Zahra continued to work, flicking her tail and threatening to fuck Vex with it. She'd known Zahra's tail was prehensile but not quite _this_ much, groaning as it pressed harder on her. She wanted to grind on it, get actual pressure on her clit and stoke the fire roaring low in her belly, but Zahra still held her and if she moved again she'd probably be spanked more. When she looked at Zahra she could see the desire in her eyes, so intense and warm like her skin. Vex swallowed and said, “I want to kiss you.”

“In due time,” Zahra said, running her nails over Vex's hips. As she spoke her tail _finally_ slipped inside Vex's folds, teasing her entrance. It was slim, barely more than a finger's thickness at the tip. Vex clenched around it as it slipped in, holding still for a moment and drawing back out, sliding back and forth in a slow rhythm.

Vex rocked against it and Zahra's grip tightened again. “Hold still before I smack you,” she said, hitting her side lightly. “You need to be a good girl, Vex'ahlia.” The use of her full name made it worse, like Zahra wasn't even her friend anymore, and the feeling of it just made Vex wetter. She whined as Zahra's tail kept fucking into her, wishing it would at least go faster.

She got her wish a few minutes later. Zahra started out slow and teasing and it didn't fill Vex the way she needed, until Zahra's tail suddenly pressed deeper and the tapered end got wide enough to hurt when it rested, embedded inside her. She hissed and tightened around it, panting. Zahra petted her and cooed, loud enough that Vex looked down and saw the soft pride blooming in Zahra's expression. “Good,” Zahra said, one hand on the small of Vex's back. She pushed Vex' front half back down, until she was kneeling over Zahra again, their faces close. “You earned this,” she said, drawing her in for a kiss.

Her tail started fucking Vex again as they made out. It drew out and then pressed in, much faster than before, the stretch just teetering on the edge of painful. Vex moaned and pushed hard against Zahra, slipping her tongue over Zahra's lips and licking inside her mouth. She tasted so good, so warm, a taste Vex never wanted to let go of. Zahra's tail moved faster, fucking harder, dragging Vex in slight movements as it pushed in and filled her more than she thought she could take. It tapered wide, wider than Percy's cock, moving quickly after being slicked with her juices. Vex grasped at Zahra's shoulders and dug her fingers in, biting down on Zahra's bottom lip. She was so _full_ when Zahra pressed inside, her cunt stretched to the point of pain. She nearly gasped in relief every time Zahra slid out. “Fuck,” she whispered, tucking her face next to Zahra's.

“That's not very polite language,” Zahra said, leaving her tail thrust to the hilt inside Vex. Vex's breath hitched, waiting for another threat of spanking, but Zahra said instead, “I suppose I can excuse it, given what that little word _means_.” She pushed her tail in even more and Vex thought she might break, moaning into Zahra's ear. “You're such a good girl for me, aren't you, Vex? So well behaved, taking me in.” She started fucking Vex again, faster, slamming into her. Vex bit her lip, back bowing, clutching so hard at Zahra's shoulders that she knew she'd be leaving marks.

Zahra shifted, moving one of her hands between Vex's legs. Her warm skin was like a flame against Vex's arousal as she put her fingers across Vex's folds, just above where her tail was fucking her. Vex twitched and writhed, nearly choking when Zahra put her hot fingers right over her clit.

“There it is,” Zahra purred, pressing down and rubbing Vex's own slick juice across her. Vex shook and groaned, torn between pressing her hips back to Zahra's tail and curling into her hand as her arousal dripped through her like hot wax. Her legs trembled, struggling to keep her upright, and she could feel her hair unplaiting from its braid. Strands stuck to her forehead with her sweat, the heat of Zahra and the heat of sex washing over her.

“Zahra–” she breathed, “Zahra, I'm gonna–”

Zahra's voice was hard, fast. “Ask me for permission, first.”

Her tone sent another wave of fire coiling through Vex. She twitched as Zahra rubbed her clit again, trying to think through the haze of heat and lightning pleasure. “Can I– Can I come, Zahra? Please?”

Zahra laughed, low and quiet. “Of course you can, dear.”

Coming was like finding salvation, exploding inside her and rocking outwards. Vex cried out and her arms finally gave way with a wobble. She fell on top of Zahra, feeling the dull ache as Zahra's tail pulled out. The aftershocks tore through her and Vex couldn't resist grinding against Zahra's belly, working out the last few licks of pleasure with a shiver.

Zahra's arms settled on her back, petting her. “Enjoy yourself, darling?”

Vex swallowed and nodded, not sure if she could make her voice work.

“Do you need to rest?”

The words took longer to process than they should have. Vex blinked a few times and raised her head to meet Zahra's eyes. “Don't you . . . don't you want to come, too?”

Zahra's grin was electric, and a flash of fresh arousal went straight to the base of Vex's gut. “Vex,” Zahra said, cooing, “I got to spank you and watch you fall apart while I fucked you. I'm more than satisfied.”

“But–”

“Did I _say_ you could question me?” The harshness was back in Zahra's tone as she snatched Vex's braid in one hand, tugging just enough to hurt. “There are going to be so many lovely ways to have you service me before you leave Whitestone again. I'd rather rest now and have more energy to break you in the morning.”

Vex's heart skipped at the sound of that. She nodded slowly and Zahra released her braid, bringing her hand to the back of Vex's head to encourage her to lay on Zahra's chest. Vex stared at nothing as she got her breath back, her body still alight with the leftover pleasure. The last time she'd come like that was when Percy had eaten her out the first time, surprising her with his skill and leaving her slumped against her headboard. Her cunt throbbed, pain and pleasure mixed into a delicious cocktail, her fluids staining her thighs.

Zahra's tail tucked around one of her legs, the tip rubbing back and forth across her thigh. It tickled slightly and Vex squirmed, a small noise escaping her throat. Zahra chuckled, and Vex could feel it rumbling deep in Zahra's chest where she had her ear pressed to it. 

Vex frowned. “Have you done that to _other_ people or was I an experiment?”

Zahra snorted. “I've done it before. As I said, when you don't have a dildo lying handy and you want to fuck someone's brains out, this–” She slapped Vex's thigh with the whiplike tail end, making her jump, “–is the next best option.”

“You are the _last_ person who should have such a delightful toy,” Vex said with a snicker. “You're going to have everyone dropping to their knees for you.”

“Only if I feel like it,” Zahra said, laughing and tucking her arms tighter around Vex. “I really _do_ need to sleep, though. You weren't kidding about me needing some rest, especially now that I've got a beautiful naked half elf lying on top of me.”

“I'll always be here if you need help sleeping,” Vex sang, curling up tighter over Zahra. They were quiet, their breathing eventually slowing. Zahra was still warm, even falling asleep. Vex didn't bother getting her blankets like she usually would, content to wrap herself around Zahra as she closed her eyes.

It was going to be a long few days before they left Whitestone again, and Vex was determined to enjoy them all. 

 


End file.
